Ladder



JumflS'," 1935. M NUNES 2,005,384

LADDER Filed June 25, 1954 INVENTOZ-Z Maw %4M Patented June 18, 1935 A2,005, 3s4 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Manuel A. Nunes, Santa ClaraCounty, Calif. Application June 23, 1934, Serial No. 732,067

1 Claim.

In using ladders, particularly the tall ladders commonly used by fruitpickers and having the two side rails and a pivotally mounted leg, andfrom six or seven feet to twenty feet in length, they are subjected tostresses and strains that tend to weaken the joints between the severalparts and thereby permit swaying or lateral movement of the ladder topwhen a weight is disposed thereon. This is particularly true of thejoint between the stiles and the top tread or ladder head. In placing aladder in position in an orchard invariably one stile will settle alittle farther into the ground than the other, with the result that whena man climbs upwardly to the upper portion of the ladder an undueportion of his weight is thrown upon the. one stile, and in the attemptof the ladder elements to adjust themselves to this unequal distributionof weight a general racking of the structure is effected. After a ladderhas been subjected to this treatment a few times the joints become soloosened that the upper end will sway under a weight even though theladder rest upon a level and solid surface, and of course such a ladderis not safe for orchard use.

It is the object of my invention to provide a means for positively andeffectually eliminating all relative movement between the ladder stilesand their connecting treads.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a means of thecharacter indicated that will be economical to manufacture, quickly andeasily applied to new and old ladders, or ladders already in use, andthat will be strong, durable, and highly efficientin its practicalapplication.

In the drawing: I

Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a portion of a ladder embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the same.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of another portion of a ladder embodyingmy invention.

In carrying out my invention as herein disclosed, I show at l a portionof one ladder stile with the top tread or head showing at 2. The part 3is a metal band encompassing the stile I. The upper end of the stileislet into the under side of the top 2 as indicated at 4.

At 5 is shown a rod or-bar disposed at an angle of forty-five degrees tothe stile l and having end portions as 6 and l bent to form obtuseangles with the main portion and disposed to pass at right anglesthrough the stile and head and from their inner sides as shown.

The end 6 passes through a plate 8 disposed lengthwise of the headZ onthe under side thereof, and is threaded to receive a nut 9. Whenthe nut9 is tightened up the main portion of the rod is seated tightly againstthe plate 8.

The end portion? is threaded as at In to re- 5 ceive a nut H which isthreaded thereon to seat tightly against the main portion as at l2. Thisend portion passes completely throughthe stile and is fitted with a nutI3. In this case the band 3 takes the place of washers, plates, etc.,and the nuts I l-l3 seat directly thereon. When the nut i3 is tightenedup it draws the rod snugly into place, and this fastening cooperateswith the connection at 9 to lock the stile I in fixed position relativeto the head 2, and no swaying or giv- 15 may be placed on loose anduneven ground, or subjected to a heavy load on its upper portion. InFigure 3 a form of the invention is shown wherein a support and brace isinserted between the stile and one of the steps of the ladder. In. thiscase the rod I 4 is disposed above the step instead of underneath it asin the case of rod 5, and consequently is subjected to tensionalstrains. The end lipasses through stile l and plates '25 l6l1 and isthreaded to receive nuts as [8 and I9. The end 20 passes downwardlythrough step 2| and plates 2 2-23, and is threaded to receive a nut 24.Y

While av single rod or brace has been described in connection with eachof the embodiments disclosed, the desired results are obtained byproviding each of these'braces in pairs. The rod 5 is spaced back alittle from the front edge of the stile and top, while a duplicate rod5a is disposed an equal distance from the back edge of the stile. A rodI la is similarly disposed relative to rod l4.

An important feature of the invention is the disposition of the plate 8.Since brace rods 5 and 5a are placed in both of the angles formed by thetwo stiles and a tread, it follows that the ends 6- 60. of the other twobrace rods 55 are also passed through the plates 8--8 with the resultthat when the nuts 9-9 are tightened up the plates 8 8 function as linksthat tie the two v rods 8 together and the two rods 8 together andprevent their working into the substance of the wood. The provision ofthis tie plate or link is an essential feature in the'present inventionsince it provides a positive means for preventing relative movement ofthe rods to which it is cone nected. g

It is to be understood, of 'coursathat while I have herein shown anddescribed but two specific embodiments of the invention, changes inform, construction, and method of assembly and application may be madewithin the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

The combination'with the stiles of a ladder and the connecting tread orcross member, of brace means disposed across the opposing angles formedby the stiles and tread, a tie plate disposed on the tread and.longitudinally thereof, one end of each brace means passing through thetie plate and tread and the other end passing through an adjacent stile,and fastening means on each end of each brace means disposed to engagethe tread and stiles respectively.

MANUEL A. NUNES.

